


Time Kills Quietly

by CydSA



Category: American Idol RPF
Genre: Charity Auctions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-14
Updated: 2011-11-14
Packaged: 2017-10-26 12:40:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/283250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CydSA/pseuds/CydSA
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Kris and Adam both touring and exhausted, run into each other at a NY concert of another artist. Adam too tired to push his feelings away again and Kris is ….</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Time Kills Quietly

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was paid for by [](http://pulapunat.livejournal.com/profile)[**pulapunat**](http://pulapunat.livejournal.com/) for $40 for Adam’s Charity: Water drive. She didn’t win but still forked out the big bucks so I promised her a fic. Sorry I’m so freaking late bb!!

  


  
Adam was reeling. He’d been on the road with his tour for the past six months and all he wanted to do was sit down and take a moment to breathe.

Of course, his life never worked like that. His latest (and soon to be fired) handler had promised that he would make an appearance at Prince’s farewell concert without checking if it was okay with Adam.

Which it was - it was **Prince** after all – but Adam could have used a little more preparation.

“He invited you personally,” Caleb had sounded as awestruck as Adam had felt. “Prince.”

So here he was at Madison Square Gardens, in a VIP section that seemed crowded with the who’s who of the music industry, and he was looking for a place to lie down.

“Adam!” Katy Perry hurled herself at him, her violet hair flying around his head.

“Hey baby girl,” he wrapped his arms around her and she cuddled in with a giggle.

“Isn’t this just spec-fucking-tacular?” Katy asked, looking around at the assembled crowd.

“Yeah,” Adam nodded. “Prince sure knows how to pull them in.” He nodded to Adam Levine from Maroon 5 and waggled a couple of fingers at Jennifer Lopez. “God, that’s just not fair,” he whined when he spotted Adam Levine come up behind a short guy with a perfect ass and throw an arm over his shoulder. “How the fuck does he find them?”

“Hmm?” Katy followed his gaze and then snorted. “Adam has been chasing that fine piece of ass for about five years now,” she said and then looked up at Adam, frowning. “Are you telling me you don’t know who that is?”

Adam squinted but couldn’t place the ass with a face. “I don’t think so,” he said and started tugging Katy forwards. “Now I have to see his face.”

Katy stood her ground. “That’s Kris Allen,” she told him and Adam froze.

“What?” he stared at the guy who was leaning into Adam’s side and then he turned to look up and… “That’s not possible.”

He felt like he’d walked into a bad movie. Kris Allen was making goo-goo eyes at Adam Levine not ten feet away from him.

“Let’s go and say hi,” Katy suggested.

Adam turned on his heel and fled to the bathroom.

Brad found him about half an hour later.

“Come on, bitch, the show’s about to start!” He was wearing unspeakably tight silver pants with a chain mail shirt that hid nothing.

“I’m staying right the fuck here,” Adam slumped back against the sofa that had been conveniently left in the VIP bathroom.

Brad scowled. “I’m not going to wallow here with you, even if you brought me as your plus one,” he said and then plopped down next to Adam. “You have,” he looked at his watch, “thirty seconds to explain why you’re skulking in the men’s loo before I leave you to it and go and party with the big people.”

Adam sighed, “I saw Kris,” he said.

He didn’t say anything more. There was only one ‘Kris’ that sent Adam into a downward spiral of despair.

“When?” Brad asked.

“Just now,” Adam waved a hand, “and he was with Adam Levine!”

“Petal,” Brad used his ‘I’m just humoring you’ voice that pissed Adam off; “Adam and Kris have been friends for years.”

“Yeah, well, I’m telling you that they’ve slid past friendship right into fucking territory.” Adam heard his bitter tone.

“You and Kris were a coulda-shoulda-didn’t act,” Brad reminded him. “Ancient history. Besides, Kris is straight.”

“Um,” Adam flushed a little when Brad stared at him.

“That’s an awfully loaded ‘um’, petal.”

“Well, I may not have told you all of the truth.” Adam squirmed at Brad’s narrowed glare.

“Spill it,” Brad poked him with a bony finger.

“Ow,” Adam rubbed at the abused part of his arm. “You are such a bitch.”

Brad raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow. “Takes one to know one. Now talk.”

Adam folded his arms. “It was just a little kiss,” he muttered.

“You _kissed_ him and never said anything to me?” Brad’s voice was at about a thousand decibels of outrage.

“A kiss is a very innocent thing,” Adam tried to defend himself.

“Was there tongue?” Brad demanded.

“That’s none of your business!” Adam could feel himself blushing, fucking red-head fair skin.

“I’m the one who had to listen to you bleating about him for a year.”

“Shut up,” Adam growled. “We just made out a little and then he freaked out and ran away and that was it.”

Brad looked doubtful. “You making out with Kris is like front page news on the National Enquirer.”

“Don’t exaggerate.”

“Straight, married, all-American American Idol makes out with the Great White Gay Poster Boy?” Brad snorted. “Front fucking page news.”

“Well, it happened and then we stopped touring and we really haven’t spent any time together since then.”

“Whose fault is that?” Brad watched him.

“He was married!” Adam yelled. “What the fuck was I supposed to do?”

Brad shrugged. “I’ve never called you on it, but you were a coward. You gave up when you should have fought.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” Adam stood and went to the wash basin to splash water on his face. “Whatever we had was years ago. I guess I should try to be an adult about it.”

Brad grinned. “Adam Levine is a delicious slut and he’s fancied your boy for years.”

“Evil bitch,” Adam glared. “Why did I stay friends with you?”

“Because I’m fucking brilliant and the only one of your friends who calls you on your shit.” Brad tucked his arm into Adam’s. “Come on, let’s go and say hi to Kris.”

Adam dug his heels in. “I don’t want to.” He sounded about four.

“Make like a band-aid and let’s just get it done,” Bard dragged him along. “Then you can go and mope in peace.”

Adam grumbled the entire way back but when he spotted Kris and Adam talking to Katy he straightened his shoulders. “I can do this,” he told himself.

“Of course you can,” Brad grinned at Katy. “Hello gorgeous!”

She grinned back and kissed Brad enthusiastically. “Brad!”

He hugged her and then looked over at Kris. “Hello Kris Allen,” he said in a slow drawl.

Kris’ eyes went wide and then skipped to Adam standing behind Brad. “Adam!”

Brad rolled his eyes and leaned forward. “I think we just became de trop,” he stage-whispered to Katy who giggled.

She turned to Adam Levine and asked, “Why don’t you let these two catch up and buy me a drink?”

Kris went a little pale and Adam wondered if he was thinking about bolting. “Thanks baby,” Adam said to Katy with a smile. His smile tightened when he looked at Adam Levine. “Do you mind?”

Adam watched Kris exchange glances with the Maroon 5 front man and give a small nod. “I’ll come back in a bit,” he promised Kris.

“I’ll be waiting,” Kris smiled as he watched them go.

“Really?” Adam couldn’t control his mouth. “You’re with _him_?”

Kris just looked at him. “That’s the thing you want to ask me about after five years of silence?”

Adam shook his head. “No, but an answer would be great.”

Kris kept his gaze steady. “You don’t have the right to ask questions like that, Adam.”

“How’s Katy?” Adam felt like an utter bastard when Kris flinched.

“Last I heard, she was good,” Kris shrugged. “We talk once a month or so.”

“Seriously?” Adam was astonished. “After the way she took you to the cleaners in the divorce?”

Kris shrugged again. “I cheated on her. She deserved everything she got.”

“It was just a fucking kiss!” Adam reminded him.

“I cheated in my heart, it was just as bad.” Adam knew that Kris believed every word he said.

There was an uncomfortable silence where neither of them knew where to go from there. Adam hated the stilted words, the fake smiles.

He remembered the times on the bus on the American Idol tour that he and Kris had talked until one of them had fallen asleep. He wanted that back.

“You’ve been touring again,” Adam said, changing the subject, and Kris’ mouth quirked in a small grin.

“Yeah, not a headline act like you but opening for Adam and his crew has been good.”

Adam didn’t like the fond tone when Kris was talking about the other Adam. “When’s the next album due?” he asked instead.

“It’s pretty much done,” Kris admitted, shoving his hands into his front pockets. Adam ordered his eyes to stay on Kris’ face. “Adam’s hooked me up with his producer and we’re going into final production when the tour’s done.”

Adam barely controlled the urge to snarl at Kris mentioning Adam Levine _again_. “You’ve made some good contacts in the business.”

Kris nodded and his gaze went to the make-shift bar where Brad, Adam and Katy were standing. “”He’s a good friend,” his voice was quiet.

“And?” Adam prompted.

“And nothing,” Kris stared at Adam. “We’ve messed around a bit, nothing serious, but that’s all he is.”

Adam wondered when he’d turned into a caveman because the thought of Kris and Adam Levine made his brain burn. “That’s…” he trailed off when Kris licked his lips.

“How have _you_ been?” Kris asked, obviously uncomfortable with the direction that the conversation was taking.

“Eh,” Adam raised one shoulder, allowing the diversion. “Busy, hectic, crazy, exhausted. Take your pick.”

Kris’ mouth curled in a smile. “You’ve been in the news a lot.”

Adam scowled and felt the tension rise. “I wish the fucking paparazzi would just butt out of my personal life.”

“It’s your own fault,” Kris said. “You courted them from when you finished American Idol. It’s a little hypocritical to be pissed off with them now, don’t you think?”

“I’m still entitled to _some_ privacy,” Adam protested.

Just then a flash of light blinded him and he heard someone shout a ‘thank you’. He kept his eyes closed for a moment.

“That’s going to make the news,” Kris said with small laugh. It wasn’t a pleasant one. “I can see the headlines now, ‘Adam Lambert and Kris Allen spotted together at Prince’s farewell concert. Did Adam turn Kris gay after all?’” He sounded bitter.

“What the fuck?” Adam didn’t understand. “What’s your problem, Kris? _You_ left, _you_ cut me out of your life, _you_ told me that you were in love with your wife.” He was suddenly furious.

“ _You_ gave up,” Kris countered and his eyes were black with anger. “ _You_ fucked every groupie on tour, _you_ let me go!” The last statement was practically shouted and the crowd around them went quiet.

Adam looked around. “Not here,” he muttered and grabbed Kris’ wrist. He towed him to the bathroom he’d used as a hideout earlier and glared the one occupant into a hasty exit. He locked the door and turned to look at Kris. “What the actual fuck is your damage, Allen?”

Kris’ jaw was set tightly and he lifted his chin. “Nothin’, _Lambert_ ,” he drawled Adam’s surname like an insult and Adam snapped.

He took two steps forward and crowded Kris back against the wall of the bathroom. He deliberately loomed over Kris, trying to use his height to intimidate. Kris just glared at him, refusing to be cowed.

“I did not let you go,” Adam gritted. “You _left_!”

“And you did nothin’ to try to get me to stay.” Kris suddenly slumped back against the wall. “Like I wasn’t worth fightin’ for.” His accent was thick.

“You were married,” Adam reminded him.

“I was in love with _you_ ,” Kris said. Adam didn’t miss the use of the word in the past tense.

“And now you’re gay?” Adam tried to keep the sarcasm down but Kris heard it nevertheless.

“I’m bi-sexual, Adam,” he said. “Not everyone is only gay or only straight. You should know.”

“Don’t lecture me on LGBT shit,” Adam snapped.

“Fuck you!” Kris spat and shoved at Adam, trying to get him to move.

Adam stood his ground and grabbed Kris’ arms, holding him in place. “In your dreams,” he snarled.

Kris kissed him.

It was angry and bitter and nasty and mean but it was Kris and it was still the best kiss Adam could remember getting in years.

“I hate you,” Kris mumbled and Adam hauled him closer, determined not to let him go. Not this time. Never again.

He lifted his head and stared at Kris. “At least you feel _something_ for me,” he said. “It’s a start.”

Kris’ mouth was red and wet and Adam leaned down again, brushed his mouth softly against Kris’. “We are so fuckin’ damaged.” Kris’ voice was broken and hoarse.

“I know,” Adam breathed and Kris opened his mouth and let him in. “But I think, I hope, we can be fixed.”

A fist banged hard against the bathroom door and they stepped away from each other. Adam kept hold of Kris’ hand. They were both breathing a little heavily.

“Now what?” Kris asked and Adam unlocked the door to see Brad, Adam and Katy standing on the other side.

He tightened his hold on Kris’ hand. “Now, we go and party with Prince.” He met Adam Levine’s icy gaze with a challenge of his own. “The rest is just details.”

Kris snorted and shook his head. “You’re either the biggest optimist that ever lived or the craziest person.”

Adam ignored the others and met Kris’ gaze. “There’s only one thing I’ve ever believed in.”

“Yeah?” Kris sounded shaky. “What’s that?”

“Us,” Adam replied and bent down to kiss him, fuck everyone else.


End file.
